Miss Tacoma
by lupoaica
Summary: Rae is the daughter of a dead son who had a messed up past. It was why she was left in Tacoma with Happy's mother. Unfortunately it leads to her be targeted by the Armenian mob who are trying to move in on the gun and drug business.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Miss Tacoma

**Summary:** Rae is the daughter of a dead son who had a messed up past. It was why she was left in Tacoma with Happy's mother. Unfortunately it leads to her be targeted by the Armenian mob who are trying to move in on the gun and drug business.

**Rating:** M-NC-17 for adult situations, violence and later chapters.

**Genre:** Drama/Romance.

**Pairing:** Happy/OC.

**Author's Note:** This is the rewritten edition of Miss Tacoma from my old account. I have been watching The Shield like crazy and so I have tied some things into this new rewrite and taken out the Tig/OC/Happy element. This is going to feature the Armenian Mob, drugs, guns, and the California Bears, the Cravens and the Oathkeepers and won't be massively long compared to the original. However I want to get this written and to a certain point so then Steel Yourself can be posted up because it ties in directly with the ending of Miss Tacoma which means it will feature spoilers.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything that is recognised as Sons of Anarchy. This is purely made for entertainment. No profit is garnered from this work.

**REVIEWS ARE APPRECIATED AND LOVED!**

* * *

The California Bears founded ten years ago in a run down loft; the founding twelve members were all marked with a bear paw tattoo on the right side of their neck. The Armenian mob endorsed the making of the club. It was their one way ticket into the drug business of California; bring a young, ambitious twenty-two year old biker born kid into their pockets and they took control of the guns and drug trafficking that occurred within Los Angeles.

The mob kept the trails buried deep enough that the feds could never trace them to the club and the Bears to the Armenians and so they had gotten away with it for years. But in recent times, the head of the Armenians had grown greedy and now, now he wanted one thing. All the gun trafficking linked to the true IRA wiped off the map so he became the sole distributor to the entire west coast.

There was no love lost between the president of the Bears and the Sons of Anarchy, the IRAs American ties.

Sitting on the edge of the pool, head titled back towards the warm California sun, a beer warming in one and a knife in the other, Chris swung his legs lazily through the water.

A handful of sweetbutts were swimming about the pool while his boys lounged round here and there, relaxing after their last run to San Fran with the newest pure pink shipment. He'd lost two guys on the run.

The north California Sons had somehow gotten wind of the run and ambushed them halfway back home. Unfortunately, the Bears hardware was hardly up to the standards of the Sons. It was dated and the Armenians hadn't given them anything new for a year, telling them they had to make do for the time.

Chris had argued that they couldn't run protection or keep up the reputation the Bears had without the equipment that could cement themselves as top dogs.

"We're gonna need better hardware, boss, and fast." His VP appeared at his side, crouching down whilst watching the sweetbutts play.

Chris grunted and drew his legs out of the water, leaning forward on them. "I know. Movsesian won't give us any though, says we got to make do with what we have for now. Unless we steal the hardware, we ain't getting any better than we have."

He had always been considered young for president standards, but Movsesian had chosen him because of his blood, because of who his family had been. Chris ran his club well, they only five charters in total and they were spread carefully down the coastline; placed in areas that made their trafficking of pure pink much smoother.

He liked having charters close to each other, in case shit went down and one charter needed more bodies.

"Steal from the Sons?"

Chris nodded. The subject was touchy. Chris' mother had been an Old Lady to a Son – once upon a

time. Some father he'd been. Robert Cardiff had hardly cared about what that mark on his mother's shoulder had meant he'd knocked some coloured croweater up when he'd been four and his mother had uprooted them and left Charming not long after that.

He'd never taken his father's name legally, though it was what everyone referred to him as; behind his back – the bastard son of a disgraced Son.

Christ, he'd sworn he wouldn't have anything to do with the Sons on his mother's sick bed. His mother would smack him across the back of the head if she knew he was planning on rolling back into Charming to start a gun war with the Sons.

He'd never tried, or wanted, to prospect a Son charter; it was why he'd jumped at the chance to found the Bears when the Armenians had raided the failing Cravens clubhouse. He'd stepped up first to take that tattoo and it was that had made Varak appoint him President despite everyone else having a good seven years on him in age.

The drug runs were good for money, the whores were some of the best to be found and the pink was even more addictive than normal crank.

The Sons kept their town clean, he'd heard the stories – that they let things happen around Charming but nothing was to be dealt directly in the township itself.

His father had taken a bullet to the gut some years ago now. No surprise there. You lived, breathed and died for your club. Chris was still loathed that he hadn't been the one to pull that trigger; let the bastard pay for doing what he'd done.

"What choice do we have? We need the guns; Movsesian won't give them to us. Can't do runs if we're going to keep losing me – if we hit 'em hard and quick, then we'll be fine," he replied with a crooked smirk. "But Movsesian wants to send them a message first – pricks hit one of the trucks heading south last week. They got a charter in Tacoma we've had them under surveillance since they hit the truck. There's a girl there; Varak wants to send them a message not to mess with our runs but wants the girl to be the message – not a Son, just the girl."

He knew better than to directly hit a Son and besides, this would hurt more. Hurt the girl, hurt the club, make it known that they weren't as untouchable as they'd like to believe.

"Who are we going to send?"

He glanced across at where his Sgt. At Arms was standing by the bar.

"Send Mackie, tell him to take two others and make sure they get proof of it. Don't care how but I need proof to send to Movsesian."

Rusty nodded, straightening up and heading for the Sgt. At Arms.

A blonde sweetbutt swam over to him, her smile coy as she reached round to stoke his leg. He grinned at her. "Coming to swim, boss?"

"Now how could I refuse such a beautiful woman," he teased back, setting his beer down before sliding into the water to join the leggy blonde.

* * *

Happy watched her. She sat on the hospital bed; hair a wreck – bits pulled and ripped out here and there, tangles bunching up sections, her make-up smeared horribly and her body rolling in violent trembles. The doctor said she was and probably would be in shock for some time, told him they'd given her some light sedatives to ease her nerves. They'd shoved a prescription into his hands, a pile of clothes for her to change into and left.

He'd caught the look of disgust directed at him and prayed for the doctor to say something that would set him right off. After the past few hours, he was coiled tight and ready to strike at the first thing he could.

Without speaking, he grabbed the chair from the corner of the sterile, chilly room and placed it down in front of her.

She startled as he eased down onto it; clothes and prescription in his lap as he propped his hands on either side of her. He gave her the smallest of smiles. Hazel eyes brightened slightly but the trembling and fear didn't ease in her.

After what she'd just endured first in the attack and all the exams they'd done to her, Happy didn't fault her for being both terrified and shaky.

In all the years they'd known one another Happy had only seen her in half this mess once; he hadn't liked it then and he decidedly liked it even less now given the circumstances of her being here.

"Anything I can do, Rae?" he pressed. "Water?" She shook her head, eyes dropping to her lap as her arms wrapped tightly about her stomach. "How 'bout a pillow?" Another refusal. "What about a cookie?" He chuckled at his own question.

Her eyes glanced at him from beneath her lashes and he caught the barest spark of amusement in those puppies. "I'm not hungry," she murmured, "thanks though."

He nodded, pleased that she was at least speaking to him finally. Silence fell again. Happy just watched her as she tried to collect herself, steel herself against whatever war was raging inside her. He'd seen the bruises and most of the other injuries they'd left on her. Anyone would've been blind, death, dumb and stupid to not have given how he'd found her.

If it hadn't have been for the few connections he'd secured on the Tacoma county police department over the years as allies to the club, Happy doubted he would've known anything until she'd been found by some stranger and brought into the emergency. He'd never been quite so grateful for them calling the club so late in the night to give him time to get out to her. Anonymous tip his ass.

Whoever had laid their hands on her had phoned it in. Arrogant pricks. They'd specifically identified the crow tattoo on her wrist to ensure the information had been passed straight onto the club. It had been a message, for the club, and they'd taken it out upon the only person who they could get their hands on easy; Rae Cardiff.

She was one of only three women who had been a constant presence in his life; and one he'd kill for protecting.

The five foot five tattooed caramel beauty with a nasty left hook and tomboy disposition towards anything female that would make an old granny faint in fright had been in his life since her diaper days.

Big daddy Cardiff had been a loyal Son of the Tacoma chapter since its beginning – until he'd taken a bullet to the gut in a drive by when Happy had been barely fifteen and Rae three. Despite being over ten years apart in age, their relationship was solid.

Staring at his friend he wanted to do something, anything for her but he was drawing up empty. He didn't do comfort anymore. He wasn't the same boy he'd been all those years ago and he'd bet his life on Rae not wanting to be handled right now.

He decided trying to talk a little more, despite that being a weak point for him, would be a better option. "Rae, I know they've hounded you for hours darlin' but if you remember anything, you gotta tell me." She didn't say anything and he sighed, pushing himself back and leaning deeper into the chair. "I can't get the fuckers if I don't–"

"I was blindfolded Hap. I never saw their faces, like I told those cops," she snapped, close to tears and he tilted his head back to glance at the ceiling. He knew it was pointless. She wasn't lying to the cops earlier. He'd found the blindfold still round her when he'd finally found her – he had held some hope she would have caught a look at them before they'd jumped her.

His urge to punch or gut something had never been so vehement. Those assholes deserved to be torn apart slowly and painfully but there was little he could do without names or faces to go on.

It still killed him when he found her and tried to rouse her; she had panicked and tried to fight him and then started crying when he'd said who he was.

Damn.

He wanted to punch something; anything.

This had just messed up everything. With the state Rae was in Happy wasn't so comfortable with leaving her on her own, or with any of the Tacoma boys either, worried that she might do something stupid.

Glancing at her, he thought back on it. She served as bartender for the Tacoma clubhouse since she'd been seventeen. She wasn't a croweater; thankfully, he'd managed to keep his friend from straying down that path and kept her reasonably out of the hands of trouble. Once or twice a prospect had ended up in love with her but the relationship didn't and couldn't last. Happy may have played a part in them ending along the track, might have used his brothers to help out here and there, but Rae was like a little sister and he wasn't about to let her head down the road of old lady to a prospect; she was like his to protect.

He hadn't though.

She'd been grabbed on her weekly shopping stock up for the club. He'd failed her. Protecting her heart from a guy was nothing in comparison to protecting her from the damage she'd endured last night.

Rae was a strong, good girl, for the most part – no drugs, lewd behaviour or criminal record. Happy liked keeping her clean.

She was the thing he could be proud of outside the club. She was the reason he kept the drugs out of Tacoma and why they'd hit that truck last week.

Like most other Sons of Anarchy charters, Tacoma had a no drug tolerance. They'd almost killed Kozik when they'd caught him using. Rae had saved his life twice from overdosing and then he'd taken it to the table – detox him.

It had taken two weeks to get the job done but Kozik had been clear for six years and counting now.

Thinking about the club got Hap wondering about Rae's future. He didn't bring it up with her anymore; caused too many arguments.

She would just mutter something about this being her only family and she wasn't leaving them. She was smart, could've gone to college but instead she had stayed with the club and just painted in her spare time.

He knew their return this morning wasn't going to be a cheerful one.

The boys wouldn't turn her away; no, they'd welcome her without hesitation. They boys loved Rae, always had since she'd been running round the clubhouse in diapers and riding a trike like a little champion.

He was more worried about how she'd hold up mentally given what had happened.

Something like sexual assault didn't go away overnight; he wasn't stupid. She flinched whenever someone got near her, when he'd come barging into the room an hour ago to make sure they were looking after her, he'd made to touch her cheek and she'd flinched.

She'd never flinched from him before.

This was a mess and he needed to leave for Charming to meet up with the mother charter to deal with this rise in drug trafficking but Happy couldn't just ditch Rae when there was no one to watch her.

He knew Kozik would protect her, watch over her but Happy got the impression Rae wouldn't want to have the Sgt. At Arms hovering over her.

It wasn't like when she'd had her appendix removed.

His mother would jump at the chance to have her for a little while but given her condition Happy didn't want to put any stress on either woman being worried over the other and he really didn't want to tell his mother Rae had been raped.

Of course, he could always take her with him.

He almost snorted aloud at the thought. The idea of taking Rae to Charming was both amusing and daunting.

Clay had a strict policy on no women staying at the clubhouse unless they were attached to one of the brothers.

Gemma might have a pink fit it he brought Rae down without prior warning but for some reason he could oddly see Clay's old lady and Rae getting along.

Glancing at Rae he noticed how heavy lidded she was getting, how her trembling had subsided and decided that he'd think more on it later.

Straightening up to his full height, Happy brought a hand up to her cheek, biting back a grimace as she flinched in reaction but didn't jerk away like she had a few hours ago.

"Rae, think it might be time to get you out of this fridge and somewhere warmer."

She nodded and he helped her down from the bed, steadying her when she collapsed against him. He wasn't going to humiliate her with a walk of shame and rather than ask, Happy scooped the girl up into his arms and told her to hold on.

The old Rae, pre-attack, would have kicked and squealed and hit him demanding to be put down but now she buried her head into his chest and wrapped an arm about his neck, the other laying across her belly.

* * *

The Tacoma clubhouse was almost a replica of the Charming base, only it was more open and spread out – the clubhouse further to the back of the plot of land the Sons owned and protected by the garage, the standard front for the Sons of Anarchy; mechanics and Harley enthusiasts to normal eyes and a steady source of income for the club.

Most of the boys, like Happy and Kozik, lived in the clubhouse. Happy's only other residence was his mother's and he stayed there only when need absolutely required. He didn't need to put her in harms way.

Rae had he own permanent set-up there too; right opposite Happy's dorm. She'd originally been living with his mother but when she'd had to go into care, Happy had asked Duke, Tacoma's President, if he could give her a room.

Nudging open the door of her room, Happy grinned at the familiar sight; film posters and magazines were everywhere, CDs and DVDs were stacked in piles beside mountains of books and a pair of old boxing gloves that she'd tacked up over the head of the bed. Rae's room showed off what was hiding beneath a careful constructed exterior; an intelligent young woman.

He waved her in hoping the sight of her room might give her a little more life. The slice of peace and safety didn't make her lips curl up even the slightest.

Happy had called the boys to bring the truck in to collect Rae. Bones, an enforcer, had understood Happy's order to ride on the back with Happy's bike. Not only did it mean someone was watching his bike but he honestly doubted Rae would ride willingly with Bones in the cab, no matter how friendly the pair were.

Even though it was three in the morning when they ambled into the clubhouse, the entire charter was present. All the boys had been woken and informed of the situation after Happy had torn out of the place like a demon round sunset and there they'd been; showing their support by waiting up for them.

Rae had recoiled fast when Kozik had tried to pull her into a hug. Happy could see by the grim set of his jaw that Koz was hurt though he hid it well and just nodded. Out of the lot of them, Koz was probably the most genuine guy they had. He had a big heart, especially where Rae was concerned, given the past years following his transfer into Tacoma from Charming.

Happy barked out that it was late and everyone was to either bunk down or take a hike. The main room had cleared out in seconds.

Rae eased herself down onto her unmade bed with a grimace. She looked tired and stressed, dark circles under her eyes and hair still in rather bad shape.

He wanted to offer her the choice to change into something more comfortable than the hospital pants and shirt she'd been given but she laid herself down and curled herself up into a ball only a second after he thought it.

Dropping the small bag of her jewellery and other things onto her cluttered desk, Happy ran a hand down his face, telling her to sleep as long as she needed into the day and he'd see her when she was ready to resurface.

She nodded and he shut the door. This was so beyond messed up.

Kozik stood, leaning against the doorframe of his dorm, two doors down; those massive arms crossed over his broad chest. "S'up with kitten?"

Happy shook his head. "She ain't talkin' much. Blindfolded her so she couldn't I.D. the bastards and she'd in pretty bad shape."

Kozik nodded. "Let me know if I can do anything to help." With that he turned back into his dorm room and shut the door.

Happy knew that when it came to Rae, Kozik was another who would willingly take a bullet for her. While they were close, Kozik was like an uncle who would tease her mercilessly but at the end of the day when push came to shove, the Sergeant would do Happy's job if he wasn't able to.

Rae somehow found ways to get under men's skin and Happy knew it wasn't intentional on her part. Growing up together had made them close; she understood the life, knew to keep her mouth shut and one day she would make a great old lady to some lucky bastard – one day.

Happy trudged into his own room, kicked the door shut with his boot and collapsed onto his bed to stare up at the ceiling.

He had no choice. Happy couldn't leave her while she was in this state but he couldn't abandon his duties for her either. He also knew that if she was going to travel, riding on the back of his bike was going to be a massive hell no for her. He had a lot of shit to organize before heading out tomorrow but he decided that a three in the morning phone call to Clay was sure fire grounds for getting his balls mashed in with a hammer by the Charming President's old lady and he definitely wanted to avoid that at any and all costs.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the reviews, follows, favourites so far - hope you continue to enjoy and remember to review, I horde them like I horde Pop Vinyls. I'm trying to build Rae as damaged but trying to grapple with what's happened ad how she is trying to draw strength so I hope I am doing that okay.**

**More updates for this and others are on their way.**

* * *

Her brain woke first. Pain registered; her legs ached, the cuts on her belly stung, her abdomen was cramping violently and finding a comfortable position in which to sleep was a fear in itself. Every time she moved, pain shot through her and she would wake up in a cold sweat, breathing harshly and in a panic.

When her alarm blared at its usual seven o'clock wake-up, Rae groaned into the pillow. She didn't want to get up but she knew lying here was just going to make her go crazy by thinking back on last night.

Stretching out one throbbing heavy limb, she hit the button on her alarm and drew the blankets tighter up round herself.

She had tossed and turned after Happy had left her. Moving was going to be a workout in itself; her arms trembled as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her mouth felt like it was full of cotton, her eyes filled with sleep and her ears were ringing.

Everything hurt.

She needed another shower. The one last night in the hospital hadn't done much to make her feel clean; her skin had still been crawling when she'd fallen asleep earlier. Crawling from the bed, she stood on shaky legs. Her room felt foreign. None of it felt like it was her room. The old boxing posters didn't seem like they were hers, the gloves that had belonged to Happy hanging there felt like a joke. Memories of her and Happy in the ring as kids with her father instructing them came to mind. She knew how to defend herself; knew how to point a gun and shoot, how to pummel a guy into the ground but it hadn't just been one guy.

She couldn't remember the number of voices, but she could remember those hands. Three different pairs of hands had taken their turn and hold on her.

She shuddered at the memory of it and felt her stomach rebel on her.

Rae barely made it into the bathroom and over the toilet before she vomited. Groaning as her throat burned, Rae flushed the toilet and shut the lid, collapsing onto it. The bathroom was cold; the tiles numbed her feet and she shut her eyes, fighting off shivers.

Forcing herself to her feet, Rae reached over and flicked the lights and heater on, wincing as the light nearly blinded her. She turned the shower on and sighed heavily. Stripping out of the clothes the hospital had given her was a nightmare; her arms trembled and shook as she tried to tug the shirt over her head.

She refused to glance into the mirror above the sink, afraid of what she was going to see.

Pulling the curtain back, she stepped into the shower, shivering and wrapped her arms around her middle.

Hot water pounded down.

She loved it; the numbness that settled over her body as she stood beneath the spray.

* * *

Happy had been up since five. His mind was a bundle of plans and he was determined to get them sorted before he went to check in on Rae.

His phone call with Clay had gone much smoother than he'd initially believed it would. The SAMCRO president hadn't asked for details on Happy's tag along but he'd made it clear if it was a sweetbutt they weren't welcome. Happy had bristled at the idea. He'd managed to explain she was a Tacoma legacy and wouldn't be a hassle without losing his temper.

Clay promised they'd find a room for her quick smart after that. Happy had asked if he'd be able to talk with Gemma – an odd request, especially from the man everyone referred to as the Tacoma Killer. The old lady was tough as nails but she still loved family and Rae was part of Happy's family.

Explaining the situation to Gemma had been quite a tough feat. The woman prodded and asked questions and Happy did his best to answer. He wanted to know Gemma wouldn't attack Rae or treat her like some sweetbutt. He needed one person in Charming to know what she'd been through and it being a woman was far better than it being Clay.

Once the call was over, Happy had to let out a very uncharacteristic sigh of relief and leaned back against the wall of the clubhouse. Well that was one thing out of the way on his to-do list.

Kicking off the wall, Happy headed inside and towards the dorm rooms in back. He knocked three times before opening the door. His eyes did a quick sweep of the room; bed was empty. He heard the shower going.

Heading for the bathroom, he knocked. "Rae?"

No response. "You alright in there girl?"

Again, no response.

Happy weighed up his choices; leave her to possibly hurt herself in some way, shape or form or bust in and drag her ass out.

He'd walked in on Rae naked twice in their years; the first when she'd been in the shower and they'd found out about her father – but she'd been a kid then. The second time had only been a few months back. He hadn't known she'd had a guy in there and Happy had been drunk and walked to _talk_. He'd kicked the guy out on his ass and Rae hadn't spoken to him for two days straight until Kozik had intervened; Happy still couldn't remember what it was he'd even wanted to talk to her about that it had been so important.

"Fuck it."

He pushed open the door and was met by a wall of steam. Happy strode in and up to the small shower, pulling the curtain back.

* * *

Rae didn't know how long she had been in the shower. She'd sunk down to the floor at some point, drawn her knees up to her chest and simply sat beneath the hot spray. It was hardly as purifying as she'd hoped, her skin still felt dirty and she couldn't fight the tears that came.

She heard the knocks but didn't answer them. She didn't want to deal with Happy. Rae knew him better than that though and sure enough the curtain was dragged back and she heard Happy swear.

Glancing side-long as he knelt down, she met his impassive expression with red eyes. Happy was the master at never giving anything away, even to her. All these years and he still managed to keep her in the dark. Those smiley faces told her what she needed to know but oddly she wanted to hear it from Happy what he really did.

Club business was just that; club business and she wasn't going to be allowed in on it, no matter her family history or her affiliation with the club now. Leaving her in the dark meant she couldn't be used for RICO if it ever reared its ugly head.

Biting on her raw and split lip, she watched him as his eyes swept down her back and visible side. She'd made sure he hadn't been allowed to her change last night – the nurse had been nice enough to help instead. He hadn't needed anymore encouraging to go and beat the daylights out of someone.

She knew he was taking a mental picture of each and every mark, scratch and bite. Until they healed he would hound her to keep them clean and make sure she kept them covered.

All her nice clothes were going to be useless until the scars faded anything to barely there white marks. She flinched a little when his fingers touched the flesh round one of the nastier bite marks on her shoulder. Fucking animal had torn into her and she knew that's exactly what Happy was thinking.

"They did this cause of the club, didn't they Hap?" she asked after a moment.

His hand dropped away. "How long you been sitting in here, girl?"

He was deflecting. She'd hit the nail on the head. After everything she'd done for the club; bailed them out and gotten rid of the sweetbutts when need be. She was, in Kozik's general observation, a little mother hen. And the perfect target for someone looking to hurt that would push the right buttons of the Tacoma boys.

This was all cause of him. "I can't go out and face them." Happy nodded. She wrapped her arms tighter about her legs. "I just – it's horrible. Everything hurts. After everything you, Koz and the others taught me and I couldn't prevent-"

"Doc said it'd hurt for a while. And by what you said, you couldn't have prevented it, Rae. Things happen, you got jumped, they hurt you," he interrupted. She glanced at the tiled wall in front of her. Jumped or not, she wasn't some weakling. She could successfully tackle someone Happy's size and give him a beating; could get out of a hold from Koz when he was trying to actually keep hold of her. "We run you through drills, we give you the chance. Sometimes, it doesn't work out."

She nodded pathetically. "You hear all these stories about things like this happening. It ends up one of two ways; dead or left alive and terrified. If you live through it, you want to be dead. All I can see when I shut my eyes is it happening. I can still hear them; smell everything like it is happening all over again."

Silence filled the small space. Aside from the water neither of them spoke. Rae knew she was going to be battling demons for a while and that's what scared her most. She wasn't one of those girls who'd been found without a pulse. She was still here.

"I need you to pack for a road trip."

She blanched. "What?" Her head swivelled round to Happy's and she narrowed her eyes at him. "Why? What did you do?"

"Nothing; I gotta go to Charming for a few days, we'll take your sorry excuse for a vehicle; strap my bike to the back and drive down," Happy stated matter-of-fact.

Rae almost growled. The asshole said it in a manner stating that she had no say in the matter. "What am I gonna do in Charming?" she shot back.

Happy shrugged and she rolled her eyes. "Don't know, but you said it yourself, you can't face the boys out there so I ain't leaving ya here. Kozik will drive you insane before the end of the day acting like a little mother hen he can be."

Rae sighed dramatically. He was right. Like usual. And she had given him exactly what he wanted; she'd told him she wouldn't be able to face the boys.

They'd never let up with watching her like hawks despite their intention not to do so. "When do you want me packed?"

"Be ready in an hour."

"Sure thing, Hap," she whispered and waited until he had straightened up and left before finally getting up and shutting the shower off.

* * *

Trying to pack proved to be difficult. Aside from the underwear and make-up she threw in sweatpants, a jacket and that was as far as she got. The jeans she'd pulled on were loose; her stomach was sore and they were better than her skinny jeans. She pulled on a Henley shirt and sighed as she pushed the sleeves up.

Tugging open her shirt draw she glanced over the shirts. She pushed aside any of the showy shirts she owned, her stomach was too bruised and scratched for any of them. Sighing, she grabbed the loose t-shirts and dropped them into her duffel bag. A few days could translate into a week, she knew Happy when it came to Charming and if she wanted to come home early it was a lonely fourteen hour drive back.

She'd heard stories from Kozik and occasionally Happy about the mother charter crew, meeting them for the first time though given who they were was going to be an interesting event in itself.

The president's old lady, Gemma Morrow, was going to be a nerve racking experience in itself. She had a reputation for being quite vicious and straight forward.

Grabbing her laptop, iPod, phone, drawing gear and two books from her desk, she stuffed them into the top of the duffel and zipped it up. Any of art supplies or reading material she'd need to find in Charming.

Tugging on her converse, she pulled on her favourite dark brown hooded jacket and shouldered her duffel.

She drew in a deep breath, steeling herself for the upcoming trip.

_Come on Rae, you can do this, try and be strong_ she told herself.

* * *

Neither spoke for the first two hours of the drive; Happy was still fuming over the fact her ute had broken down before they'd even left the lot. He wanted to tear her baby to pieces and use what he could for spare parts and find a better ute for her. She threatened to shoot his nuts off if he even tried to touch her baby with any tool.

He'd then started grumbling about bloody women and attaching themselves to things. She had in turn shot back, "The biker says what?"

Happy had been quick enough not to reply.

It was a relief when those little moments occurred. Things were going to be okay. Happy wasn't going to treat her like some fragile little china doll. He was going to treat her like he always did and she took some comfort in that. Talking wasn't Happy's strong suit so Rae took what she could whenever those moments of a young Happy shone through the hard exterior of the man sitting on the other side of the ute.

She was curled up with her feet on the dash, headphones in to tune out Happy's hip hop music playing over the radio and completely in engrossed in _Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers_/

Two hours down of the fourteen hour drive and Rae knew Happy had no intention of stopping every two hours. By round the four hour mark, her bladder was screaming at her to get him to stop.

"Hey Hap, can we stop for a break soon? My bladder is gonna burst at this rate." She pulled her headphones out and saw him just nod.

Smacking her book shut; glad for when he pulled into the rest stop that thankfully had a McDonalds. "Where you going?" he grunted out when she opened the door of the ute to climb out.

"Hap, I need to use the bathroom. I'd rather use the McDonalds than a dingy gas station one."

He grumbled. "You sure you're okay to go in there?"

Rae looked at him; he was wearing his shades so it was hard to judge what he was thinking. It was a genuine question of concern. Rae needed to be strong – show him that she wasn't growing to crumple under this even if inwardly it was. "Cheer up a little Happy Meal and I'll bring you back a toy," she teased lightly, trying to evade the question and saw his eyebrows knit over his glasses. He hated that nickname and didn't she know it.

Before anything could be said, Rae headed off for McDonalds. Despite being tired and sore, it was better than remaining cramped up in her ute. That and her stomach was grumbling for food.

* * *

Happy fucking hated that nickname but he let it slide – this once. He needed her to joke round a little. Last night needed to become a distant memory to her; so he could have back the Rae he knew.

She was strong but this wasn't the same as some high school bully or little punk breaking her heart. He'd seen enough of her crime shows and al that bull to know that every woman reacted different to the kinds of abuse they suffered. She was blocking and supressing; he could see it in the false smiles she'd been giving him all day.

But what could he do?

When he'd found her last night and she'd panicked on him, Happy had contemplated knocking her out again to save her injuring herself further.

This morning in the bathroom he'd barged in, worried that she'd been closing in on him; pushing him out. He was glad there hadn't been much in the way of arguments towards the trip to Charming.

Watching as she headed off, Happy shook his head and chuckled before turning to the gas pump.

As he leaned back into the side of the ute, Happy took in the occupants of the rest stop. It was a popular spot. He always passed it on by when he was heading down to Charming; normally he stopped at smaller places wanting to deal with as little people as possible.

Children were screaming as they raced round the play area of McDonalds, people pulled up and drove off while he saw a number of young punks eyeing his bike off from where they all sat on dirt bikes.

"Crotch rocket pieces of crap," he muttered, hanging the handle back up on the pump and heading into the station to pay. As he wandered into the station he eyed off the aisles of junk food and felt his stomach growl in response.

He decided McDonalds would be better than some chocolate and chips in the car. Paying for the gas he relocated the ute, pulling into one of the available spaces in front of McDonalds. Climbing out he made sure to lock it up before heading into the joint.

* * *

Rae thought it looked absolutely ridiculous seeing Happy standing within a McDonalds line waiting to order food. And it cheered her up a little. Her stomach was growling double time since her nose had gotten wind of food. Walking into the joint had been a lot harder than she'd let on but in the bathroom, she'd downed two more painkillers, hoping its buzz would tied her sore body until they stopped for the night and relaxed her a little with the extra strength of them - thank god, for the boys getting their hands on the stronger medications.

In the middle of the day, in a McDonalds joint far from Tacoma, there was hardly a valid reason to be acting like she was, especially when she had her own version of a pit-bull in the form of Happy standing guard. Glasses off too she noticed.

She slunk up alongside him and leaned into his side. "What are we having?" Rae didn't fail to notice how people leaned away from them, or more specifically Happy.

"Food," he grunted.

Rae didn't pay everyone else much worry. It was more entertaining to watch Happy sneer at the kids who were openly guffawing at him. She wrapped her arms around one of his. "So," she began.

"Club business," he muttered.

She nodded. "Thought so but what I wanted to ask was, what am I going to be going while we're in Charming?"

He glanced down at her as they stepped forward in the line. After a moment he glanced back up and shrugged. "Don't know; read, draw, paint, maybe sit back and relax your ass."

The woman in front gave him a filthy look over her shoulder and Rae scrunch her nose up. "Fuck Hap, that sounds boring." Another dirty look and Rae gave Happy a light elbow in the side.

"Fucking boring is better than getting your ass chewed off by me, Clay or Gemma," he shot, grinning crookedly when the woman scuttled off as quickly as she could when her meal was all sorted and paid for.

The poor kid standing behind the counter looked absolutely terrified of Happy. She let go of him and put her order in before Happy spoke and didn't the kip jump at his voice. Rae should've felt bad but over the years she had discovered she got a kick out of letting Happy's presence simply freak out normal people.

They took the booth right in view of her ute and his bike. He watched his bike like a hawk as he shovelled his food down.

While watching him, Rae couldn't help but be more than a little grateful to him for bringing her along on this trip and felt her heart constrict a little. He hadn't need to; he could've left her behind in Tacoma. She owed him so much, he had been her hero throughout so much already and rather than ditch her ass the moment her dad had died, he'd stayed and kept her like some lost little stray who had buried her way into his heart.

Happy had been her big brother for a long time now and all she ever seemed to be was a nuisance or being a worry.

"Hey Hap." He glanced up at her. She gave him a weak smile. "Thank you."

He nodded, staring at her long enough to make Rae look away first and she found it a little odd to be unnerved by such a stare from him. She kept her head down for the remainder of lunch and true to Happy form – he didn't say a word, content with their relative silence while madness ran rampant round them.


	3. Chapter 3

**And here is chapter three written. Shaping Happy and Rae is a lot more fun this time round now I have a solid idea for the story itself as a whole. **

**There is not yet another mention of the Bears, or Chris, for the next chapter or so, depending on the rewrites of them since I'm slicing out the Tig stuff by a major landslide. **

**Anyway, enjoy the new chapter, I hope you like and let me know, I honestly just love hearing from you guys and knowing what you think.**

* * *

Rae hated motels, especially the middle of nowhere ones where the manager was glued to his small little television in the backroom and a no doubt mouldy couch. The guy had been twitchy as is; hair a mess and glasses taped back together like someone had snapped them in half and he hadn't been able to afford to get them repaired.

She got the vibe of beyond horror slash flick creepy from the place and it had her on edge.

Happy just muttered she watched too many movies. She scoffed, whether she did or not wasn't the point. This place screamed eerie and as they pulled into the space in front of the room they'd gotten for the night, Rae was unsettled to say the least – possibly because the painkillers had worn off a little over an hour before they'd stopped for the night. Happy got the one room that was available, with one bed.

Climbing out of the truck, Happy grabbed their bags and lead her into the small, somewhat odorous room.

One look into the bathroom and Rae was grateful she'd packed flip flops. There was no way she was going to step into the shower without something on her feet. Happy dumped their bags onto the bed and then went to the window.

It felt weird being on the road with Happy; he was even quieter than normal, if that was possible and he was like a guard dog on constant alert. She'd never felt like tip toeing round him quite as much as she did tonight.

She gathered he wasn't going to be sleeping much – if at all tonight. He'd probably pull the one chair in the room up to the window and hover there with his guns and clean them a million times over.

It was going to be a long night.

"Hungry?" he grunted out as she unzipped her bag. She looked over to see him with his prepaid out. He glanced at her and nodded. "Pizza?"

He was tip toeing round her as much as she was him. "Yeah Hap, pizza is fine. I'm gonna shower."

* * *

He hated this place as much as she detested it; didn't like the worm of a manager either. He was a shifty little prick that deserved a bullet to the head for some of the shit he knew was let slide round this place but he wasn't going to change his patterns just because he had Rae with him.

She could sleep while he watched the lot. He didn't doubt that if he took his eyes off his bike long it would get stolen. That and there was the thought whoever had gone after Rae to hit the club might be following them.

Having Rae with him on this was incredibly awkward. He didn't bring women with him on runs. Kozik was enough of a woman to bring on runs. The guy needed to stop even more than Rae pestered him to. She was good though; cracked a small joke or two every once in a while in regards to his music but otherwise kept her nose in her book and earphones in.

He knew she was pumped on painkillers – Happy didn't blame her considering he hadn't let her lay down and rest like she was suppose to be doing.

There was also the problem that Happy had taken Rae out of Tacoma. Lee had given him permission telling him if the police came snooping for anymore from her that they'd taken her to her aunt's for a little while to get her mind off it all. Gemma was gonna love that when Happy let her in on it in case the police decided to phone her.

Happy was gonna kill Tuck for the suggestion at their early church session that morning to discuss what had happened. They all agreed it had been an attack to hurt the club but who had done it, well there was any number of persons that might have done so.

He was already caging himself in with that blasted truck and now he had to prepare for an earful from Clay's old lady upon arrival in Charming but Happy wasn't going to let Rae drive herself. She'd turn round and hightail it back to Tacoma first chance she'd gotten. Pulling the chair up to the window, he propped his feet up on the sill, holding the curtain back just enough as he dialled the local pizza joint about ten minutes down the road.

It was far more uncomfortable after what had transpired during lunch. After she'd said thank you, Happy had just stared at her and really stared at her. Rae was like a little sister to him, or she had been; he'd carried her round as a toddler on his back, her arms clasped tightly round his neck and squealing as he'd spun her round for hours on end until he'd collapsed to the floor of his mother's living room and she'd just bounced round him asking to go again.

He smiled a little at the memory. She'd been too little to understand why her mom had bailed out on her – why she was living with a hang around and his mother.

Happy knew that it had been that time spent with Rae that had kept them close; she followed after him like a little shadow. When he'd gone to boxing training, she was with him, sitting on the floor and cheering him on like a little cheerleader.

His mom had started getting sick round about that time and it was why Happy had been so attentive with her. He hadn't wanted her to stress over looking after a toddler who belonged to the club.

Happy had always known that Robert had needed the support they'd given him. He'd just been a young hang around even for normal standards but the Sons valued what he did; family. He hadn't tattooed Robert's quote across his chest for no reason.

He valued family; the women in his life next to his brothers above all. His mother and Rae mattered. Kozik, Lee, Donut, Bully, Lorca, Tuck... They were his brothers. Clay and the boys were just the same. He'd die protecting his family and that's what mattered. That's what made him good at what he did.

He did what he was told when he was told. A good soldier knew not to ask questions.

When Rae had been seven he'd been patched into the club as a full member. She'd squealed when he'd walked through the door in his kutte with his top rocker. While they'd never formally adopted her, his mother would always consider Rae the daughter she'd never been able to have.

Girlfriends had been none existent. Happy had sweetbutts from his hang around days and up.

He shifted in his chair a little and rolled his head round to look at the bathroom door. Rae would make a good old lady for a Son one day but he doubted any Son would ever be able to control her. She didn't do as she was told unless she knew it was a no argument situation.

She wasn't a little girl anymore, and that's what had made him stare today. Rae was a beautiful young woman and any man, Son, would be lucky to catch her undivided attention and deep down that thought managed to feel like a punch to the gut – confusing the hell out of him.

Nearly fifteen years divided them, and after everything, who they were –

The bathroom door lock turned and he heard the squeak of the door as it was pulled open. He needed a shower.

* * *

Rae came out of the bathroom, jumping when she found Happy right in front of her. "Gonna take a shower, watch the window." She nodded as he strode past and slammed the door shut behind him. She sighed heavily and did what she was told. Taking up his seat, she sighed heavily and ran her hands through her damp hair.

Her stomach was unsettled but she needed to eat to take her next dose of painkillers.

Lunch still had her unnerved and curious about what was going on inside her killers head but she knew Hap; he wasn't the kind of guy who talked about what was going on in his head.

A knock on the door startled her and she grabbed one of Hap's guns from the table. It was cool in her hand and she took the safety off. Rae had never used one in an – it's your life or theirs scenario. The boys had made sure she knew how to use one, especially a pistol and a shotgun for safety measures only.

She wondered what went through Happy's mind when he held the power of life and death in his hands, wondered if he ever felt his heart speed up to ridiculous heights and the blood pound in her ears.

"Pizza!"

Her whole body relaxed within seconds. She turned to Hap's bag and grabbed his wallet, fishing out a twenty quickly.

She pulled the chain latch free on the door and with the gun tucked out of sight behind the door she opened it and smiled at the delivery boy standing there. "Sorry bout that, had to get my guys wallet – keep the change."

Keep it simple, keep it short.

"No problem, miss," he said with a bright smile at her. "Your guy ride the bike?"

She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "He's a big Harley enthusiast." Rae shoved the twenty at him and took the pizza boxes with one hand in a very impressive juggling act. "Have a good night."

"You too and thanks for the tip."

She nudged the door shut with her hip as her unsettled stomach grumbled in such a delicious smell of a meatlovers pizza reached her nose. God, she could smother Happy with kisses. Dropping into the chair again, Rae sat watch on the lot deciding to wait for Happy before eating.

Hearing the door open to the bathroom Rae turned round in the chair and froze.

For a guy of his age, Happy was well built; lean and muscular. He held more strength in him than his size might have given away. He wasn't as broad as Kozik but he could probably pummel the shit out of his linebacker size ass.

And she decided he shouldn't be allowed to walk around in only a towel. She'd seen him half-naked in the boxing ring before, and in nothing but boxers but that'd been happening since she'd been old enough to walk.

However when he came out with nothing but a towel slung low on his hips; muscles, tattoos and scars all out on display, Rae felt decidedly warm in the cheeks. She'd never really thought much about him half-naked until this very moment when he was dripping wet and stalking towards his bags.

He'd always made sure she never got hung up on some weakling who tried to promise her a life outside of the club; that wasn't for her anyway.

He'd given her, her first tattoo; the crow on her wrist. She didn't remember her mother – she'd taken off long before she'd imprinted onto Rae's memories and her father, whilst he'd been round, had been more involved with the club business and sweetbutts. Happy had told her when she'd been old enough about why she'd been born and raised in Tacoma and why her mother had never taken the crow or what wanted the club.

At sixteen, for her birthday she'd convinced Happy to tattoo her. He'd designed the crow for her complete with an American and Mexican flag rolled up in each talon; one signified her father, the other Happy.

She was the only female Happy swore could ever say she had a tattoo done for him and live to see the next day because she was family, always had been and always will be.

"Food arrive?"

His voice broke off her thoughts and she quickly glanced back round at the window, hoping he hadn't caught her eyeing him off like some sweetbutt wanting to crawl over him. Christ, she didn't need to deal with this. Her head was screwed up right now and this situation wasn't helping. He was like her big brother for crying out loud, he'd never look twice at her like she was something more.

"Uh-huh," she said, waving her hand in the direction of the two pizza boxes sitting on the bed waiting for her.

"Why you holding one of my guns?" She glanced at the gun in her hand and then back at him; big mistake. He was standing by the bed, rifling through his bag – back to her and muscles tensing with his movements. Gods, she was going to smack him if he didn't get clothes on.

"Jumpy, darlin'?"

She wanted to point the gun at him and play target practice. The way _darlin'_ rolled off his tongue with that voice shouldn't have set her so on edge like it was.

"Kind of," she answered with a little shrug. "Don't like this place. Didn't want to take any chances why you were in the shower."

He chuckled and Rae set the gun back on the table by the others and returned to watching the window. She heard the rustling of clothes and the towel and was glad when he told her he'd take over watch. He'd covered himself with a singlet and boxers and socks. Happy and cold feet; she swore it was the funniest thing seeing him out of his kutte, trademark white shirt and baggy jeans despite the number of times she had over the years.

Happy came forward, dropping one pizza box onto the table and she dived beneath his arm, earning another rare chuckle out of him as he took up residence in the chair and she crawled onto the bed. Sitting cross-legged in the centre, she grabbed the remote for the small television.

Popping the lid of her pizza box, she flicked through the channels. They fell into a quiet lull; Happy kept watch and cleaned his guns. She loved watching him pull apart his guns and clean them. He was always so focused and meticulous.

* * *

Come two in the morning Rae had collapsed. Happy had finished cleaning his guns an hour before and nothing had moved on the lot for two hour and the moment the two rolled over on the clock Happy opted for sleep. He wasn't going to roll into Charming come lunch with Rae driving shotgun and him dead asleep in the passengers seat.

Pushing himself out of the chair, he headed for the bed.

Rae was sprawled out in the middle of it, curled up round one pillow and hair spilled around her back. She was sleeping soundly. A good sign in his opinion; he set one gun down on the bedside table next to his phone and knife.

She was safe, felt safe even in this dump because she knew he was there watching over her. He pushed some of her hair back from her face and slipped his hands underneath her, curling his arms and pulling her across to one side of the bed more.

He tucked his second gun beneath the pillow he'd be sleeping on before turning the lights off but leaving the television going on mute. He eased himself down onto the bed alongside of her, eyes on the door even as he settled and slipped one hand beneath the pillow and near the gun there.

Rae mumbled something in her sleep and Happy glanced round at her, smiling a little. She had always been a big talker when she was asleep. He'd picked up on it when she'd crawled into bed with him when she'd been little. She'd asked him to read a book to her before she went back to sleep. He'd always relent and read something about a Hobbit; whatever the fuck they were but she'd loved it and he knew the book she was carrying with her was another book by the same author of that book. Reading to her had become a nightly ritual.

It had been that first night when he'd heard her talking in her sleep. She had mumbled something about wanting a red bike. Happy hadn't known what she was going on about but when he'd asked her the next morning she'd mumbled something about wanting a red Harley like her dad's one day.

He'd said something along the lines of girls didn't ride and she'd always have a place on the back of his bike. He never wanted to see her riding a Harley of her own. They'd lost one old lady of the club when she'd made off with a Harley and lost it on the highway that very night. Happy hadn't cared much, bitch had wanted to leave – it was the only option she had given what she knew. The Nomads would have grabbed her, dragged her ass back to her old man and he knew she wouldn't have walked out of that one in the end.

It was a no brainer; they were tied for life to the club if they knew anything deep. Tuck hadn't taken another old lady since and sworn he'd stick to sweetbutts since they were less grief.

Rae's mother had run but she'd never taken an old lady mark, the club wouldn't have let Robert mark her and she knew shit all about them. She had been coloured. Happy didn't necessarily care; he was proud of his Hispanic heritage and he knew Rae was proud of her mixed heritage despite the clubs old school views on skin colour.

Rae was a nice blend of her two backgrounds; smooth caramel skin, she dyed her hair blonde regularly and tamed the curly mess down hiding its natural dark brown and her eyes were a rich honey brown.

Watching her now he really couldn't see much of either of her folks in her aside from those things. She wasn't hard tempered like her father and she wasn't a runner like her mum.

Since she was little she had been raised among the club like they were her only family and it had stayed that way; Happy got patched and became an Unholy One quicker than most and her dad had died for the club.

Happy was going to make sure she always had a home with the Sons, no matter whether he moved charters or went Nomad. He would make sure she had a place.

* * *

At six, Happy's prepaid was blasting out across the room from where he'd left it on the table by his cleaning kit. Rae heard it and woke first, thinking it was the alarm. She lifted her head. Happy was stretched out on his belly alongside her, hands buried beneath the pillow and head turned towards her. He was blatantly ignoring the phone and she knew it – could see the way his eyelids were moving.

She wondered when he'd ended up in bed alongside her as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and crawled over him.

He grunted, reaching round to smack her arm as she stumbled to her feet to head over and grab the noisy fucker of a contraption. She snatched it up and tossed it onto the bed alongside Happy. "It's Clay, Hap."

Happy muttered something as he pushed himself up onto his elbows and grabbed the phone, moving into a sitting position, swinging his feet to the floor.

She grabbed her bag, heading for the bathroom. The moment the door was shut, he answered. "Yeah?"

Rae reappeared ten minutes later; dressed, packed and all geared up for the last couple of hours of the journey. "Think you can hold off on any breaks until we get to Charming?"

He was already dressed; slipping his kutte onto his shoulders, hiding the gun tucked into the holster he had hidden there.

"Sure. What's the call for rushing?"

"Something came up. Lodi is Niner territory; Mayans occupy the southern district of the town and we still don't know who called for the attack on you. Something has their cages rattled though as they're apparently packing more than normal. Clay doesn't want us taking long through the area. I can detour round but it'll add an hour on. Rather do that than risk getting pulled up or worse, especially given my cargo."

Rae knew what or worse meant and just what his cargo was; her. She nodded. "Scenic route it is." She didn't hold any notions on who might have attacked her, Happy would dig deep to find out and she knew when he discovered who they were, he'd tell her.

Their voices were embedded into her mind though – she'd never forget them. Especially the one who had pinned her face down on the floor and taken her like a dog. She shuddered and quickly retreated from the memory, coming back to see Happy looking at her with only one emotion; worry.

Shit, she shook herself a little, shoving the tormenting words to the back of her mind and grabbing her bag.

As she went to pass by him, Happy caught her arm gently and she looked up at him. "Hap– "

"Girl, don't hide from me," he told her and she promptly shut her mouth for arguing. "I want to help."

Rae knew he honestly did given that he was still no doubt blaming himself for her getting hurt. She nodded. "I know you do, Happy." With that she leaned up and kissed his cheek.

He nodded and took her bag from her before following her out the door.

* * *

Grabbing breakfast at McDonalds had not been Rae's idea but Happy had wanted food and no matter how much she whined about him ruining her diet in under twenty-four hours with pizza and a second round of McDonalds, they stopped.

She'd muttered about getting him plastered enough to be coerced into getting _Happy Meal_ tattooed on his ass. The look he'd shot her whilst sitting in the drive through had been priceless. "Okay, okay what about if I buy you one of those little Grumpy head knocker things I got Lee for Christmas instead? Or maybe stamp grumpy across your forehead?"

Rather than verbally rising to the bait, Happy had just tightened his hands on the wheel.

"You seen what happened to the last little bobble head you gave me, girl?" he asked and she pouted, nodding.

"The poor thing, you're so mean to your toys. Might have to hide them at Mama's just to protect whatever I get you in the future," she told him and saw him give the barest of smirks back.

"Mum hordes your gifts," he shot back and she smiled while looking over the back streets of Lodi.

"I know. It's why I get 'em for her. You know I always tell her they're from the both of us," she remarked after a few minutes of silence.

Happy grunted an affirmative. He knew she did. It was another thing he liked about Rae being family; he didn't have the time to go looking for presents and he had always left it up to her. His mum's house was cluttered with little bobble head toys, including the Big Bang Theory quartet of nerds which his mother apparently loved.

"On the way back, we'll visit her," he said, despite knowing he'd visit before that and that he didn't know when they would be heading back to Tacoma. He had told Rae a week but with everything going on, and runs for Charming and the Nomad crew asking for him, there was no way it would be a week.

Rae's smile was wider than he'd seen it in the longest time.

* * *

Charming, California – home of the mother charter of the Sons of Anarchy.

Rae was in awe of the place as they came into the outer limits of the town. Happy had said it was quiet and the Sons kept franchises out of the place. He hadn't been lying. Stuffing her book back into her bag, she sat up a little and watched everything that they passed. He'd called ahead twenty minutes ago and let Clay know they were close.

The SAMCRO president had told him Gemma was gonna be there too and she'd gotten everything sorted for the girl to stay. Happy didn't quiet know whether that meant Gemma had cleaned a dorm room out for Rae or what but he was definitely interested to see what she'd done.

The Teller-Morrow garage came into view and he could feel Rae start to shrink back into her seat as they pulled into the lot. Several bikes were lined up on the left side of the lot. SAMCRO boys were all there. They were sitting round waiting.

Sunday meant the yard was closed. Least he wouldn't have to wait two hours to get his bike off the back of the truck.

He killed the engine and glanced at Rae who was now clutching tightly at her duffel bag. "D-Day darlin'."

She grimaced at him, eyeing the group of bikers along with a handful of women. This was the charter her father had run out on with a sweetbutt. Happy opened the door of the truck and was met with cheers.

Rae drew in a long, deep breath and pushed open her door, leaving her duffel behind on the seat before slipping out of the truck and shutting the door.

She caught up to Happy, keeping close to his back, trying to muster a small smile as they approached the group who were SAMCRO.

The moment Happy grasped forearms with an older man and embraced him in a brotherly hug, Rae knew she was looking at Clay. She'd never seen any of them before to be completely fair. The Charming charter rarely left their actual turf.

Happy was embraced all round while she stood there like the most awkward person in the world, unsure what to do with herself.

He'd only told her that Clay and Gemma knew about the other night. She only hoped they hadn't told anyone else. She didn't want to spend her time here with everyone walking on eggshells round her and treating her like she was fragile.

Once Happy broke away from a rather tall guy with broad shoulders and dark, curly hair he stepped back and pulled her forward.

"Since when do you roll into town with a girl and truck?" Happy chuckled as the boys laughed and she pushed his arm off, stepping up to Clay and holding her hand out. They didn't know what had gone down.

Clay was eyeing her hand; his lips wrapped round a cigar and eyes hidden behind sunglasses.

"Rae. I'm Robert Cardiff's daughter."

Silence fell over everyone.

The air was tense and Happy put a hand against her lower back, standing in close to her and giving her a strength she didn't think she'd have if he hadn't. It wasn't a warning, it was support; she was fine to introduce herself – she wasn't a sweetbutt and certainly not a taken woman. Happy couldn't always be her voice.

Clay inclined his head after a moment.

"Your old man was a good soldier, one of the best the Sons ever had." She nodded. "Clay Morrow, president of SAMCRO. Welcome to Charming, doll."


End file.
